Nathan Steele Scholarship Endowed at Co-Lin

The Nathan Steele EMT/Paramedic Scholarship was recently endowed with the Co-Lin Foundation. Nathan’s father, David Steele of Meadville, and Tyler Blalock with Rural Rapid Response Ambulance Service in Meadville launched the Nathan Steele Foundation several years ago in memory of Nathan. The scholarship was created in honor of Nathan Alan Steele to carry on his dream of providing rural emergency medical services (EMS) to Southwest Mississippi. This scholarship will provide funds for the training of EMS personnel to improve rural health care through educational opportunities.

“In order for us to succeed, you all need to succeed,” said Blalock, who first met Steele working on an ambulance in 2004. He added, “It’s like he’s still with us as long as this is going on.”

Nathan Steele was born in 1980 in Brookhaven. He graduated from Franklin County High School and attended Co-Lin from the fall of 1999 to the spring of 2001 to become a machinist. Starting in 1998, Steele served as a volunteer firefighter in Franklin County’s District Five Fire Department. During this time, he became a first responder and developed an interest in EMS that continued to grow.

In 2003, he transitioned from volunteer to a full-time career in EMS. He strove to improve and facilitate the training of EMS professionals. In 2010, Nathan collaborated to create Rural Rapid Response, an ambulance company specializing in rural EMS. He accomplished this feat while battling colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2009.

Despite his struggles, Steele never lost sight of the importance of EMS to the patients and professionals until the time of his death in 2014. “He would go to a first responder call before he’d go to the doctor,” said Steele of his son’s commitment to providing quality care to others.

“We’re so grateful to the Nathan Steele Foundation and Rural Rapid Response for their generosity in establishing this scholarship in Nathan’s memory,” interim Foundation director Angela Furr said. “This scholarship will honor his legacy and assist numerous students in the EMS field for years to come.”

CUTLINE: The Nathan Steele EMT/Paramedic Scholarship was recently endowed with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation by Nathan’s father, David Steele of Meadville, and Tyler Blalock with Rural Rapid Response Ambulance Service in Meadville. The scholarship was created in honor of Nathan Alan Steele to carry on his dream of providing rural emergency medical services (EMS) to Southwest Mississippi. This scholarship will provide funds for the training of EMS personnel to improve rural health care through educational opportunities. On hand for the presentation were from left, Tyler Blalock, interim Co-Lin Foundation Director Angela Furr, and David Steele.